Server virtualization is a relatively new technology being used to provide a new method to host servers running a variety of operating systems/applications that share the resources of the same physical server platform. Server virtualization concepts consist of one or more physical servers (and associated resources) each hosting one or more virtual machines (guests) running various operating systems/applications. There are many advantages of using server virtualization to host the various servers in an organization that is causing more and more users to migrate their data center operations onto virtualized platforms.
VMware®, XenSource®, and Virtual Iron® are companies developing server virtualization software platforms being marketed to data center users to be used for this purpose. While the specific techniques each company has developed to perform server virtualization may be unique, the basic function of taking a server and its resources and hosting multiple virtual machines on the same server platform seem to be common across the various products.
Adding new virtual machines to an existing server platform or moving existing virtual machines from one server platform to another “on the fly” makes a compelling case for IT departments to migrate their servers to operate in a virtualized environment. It can also add some new opportunities to storage vendors to add features to their products that can support virtualized environments and to add new functionality that can be useful in a virtualized environment that did not exist previously. One can also look at the ideas/value being gained by users of server virtualization that didn't exist prior to the virtualization technology being developed and identify similar new ideas/value that can be added to storage systems products.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a storage device containing data that is accessible by different servers without the complications presented by prior data storage systems. There is a further need in the art for a storage device with the flexibility to move operation of the storage device from one location to another.